Geography South Africa 

Location:

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates:

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Area:

Total: 1,219,912 sq km
Land: 1,219,912 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Area - comparative:

Slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

Total: 4,862 km
Border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline:

2,798 km

Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

Mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Terrain:

Vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources:

Gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Land use:

Arable land: 12.08%
Permanent crops: 0.79%
Other: 87.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:

13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

Prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues:

Lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

Party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland